In the manufacture of knitted hosiery, one method for closing the toe is by sewing. This is a relatively inexpensive process but to be sure that none of the courses of the knit fabric are skipped in the sewing operation, the sewing is done with a very fine feed which produces a relatively bulky seam.
Since closing a toe by sewing is less expensive than by looping, a sewn toe is generally associated with a lower quality product. Because the sewn toe is relatively bulky, it is also readily recognizable as well as relatively unattractive, which decreases its saleability.
This invention is directed primarily to a method and apparatus for improving the appearance of hosiery having sewn toes.